What If I Want A Debt Collector To Stop Calling Me?

A third party debt collector may call the debtor’s place of employment, but they are limited in what they can disclose. They are prohibited from informing an employer about a debt, or attempting to get a debtor fired. In general, a collection agent is restricted from discussing your debt with anyone but you and the credit bureaus, however in some states speaking with a debtor’s spouse is permitted.

While it may not be the best idea, according to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, a debtor can notify a debt collector in writing telling them that they want to stop further communication and the collection agent has to comply. The debt collector is usually permitted one more contact to inform the debtor how they intend to proceed with their case. While ceasing communication with debt collectors might seem relieving, it is essentially relinquishing control over your financial situation, and a debt collector is still fully capable of negatively marking your credit score or taking you to court.

The request to cease communication must be written, preferably citing the FDCPA and sent by Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested. If a creditor was on the fence about whether or not to file a lawsuit against the debtor, the decision will usually be made right after this point, instead of being further delayed.

Again, just because the collection agent can no longer contact you anymore does not make the debt go away. After a consumer has sent a “cease and desist” notice to their debt collector, their debt will either be returned to the original creditor, passed on to another third party agency, or in rare instances, filed away simply as uncollected, all depending on the circumstances.

Try to keep in mind though, when the collection agent calls, they usually have the authority to offer you a repayment plan or a reduced amount to pay, which will absolve you of your debt so you don’t have to worry about it anymore, and make it easier for you to pay. Although they get a lot of bad press, most debt collectors are for the most part friendly and more than happy to work with you if you want to work out some sort of payment. It’s a win-win situation for both parties: your debt has been paid and the collector gets a nice commission check for the week to bring home.

Mallory Megan works for Rapid Recovery Solution and writes articles on national collection agencies Also published at What If I Want A Debt Collector To Stop Calling Me?.

How To Recover From A Bankruptcy

Bankruptcies can stay on your credit report for up to 10 years and can annihilate your credit score by hundreds of points. But by utilizing these plans of action, you could increase your credit score and become creditworthy several years before the bankruptcy drops off your credit report.

Repairing your credit score after a bankruptcy is far from being not burdensome. “Filing bankruptcy is supposed to be a fresh start,” says Stephen Snyder, credit expert and author of “Credit after Bankruptcy.”

After a bankruptcy discharge, make sure your credit report is meticulous. After all, your goal is to enhance your credit score rapidly, and inaccurate information will only extend the time it takes to score high enough for conventional credit. You are entitled to one free credit report every 12 months from each of the three national credit bureaus. Credit bureaus generally have 30 to 45 days to investigate your claim.

One of the most productive ways to boost your credit score after bankruptcy is to procure a secured credit card, she says. Secured cards are credit cards secured by a deposit account (usually a savings account) owned by the cardholder.”Those cards were designed for people with bad credit to remain in very low-credit-limit situations for a long period of time at a high interest rate,” says Stephen Snyder, author of “Credit after Bankruptcy.”Having more than one type of credit line will help boost your credit score.

“The point is most people with great credit scores probably have two credit cards from well-known, well-respected banks, a house payment, maybe a boat payment, and they keep those balances below 15 percent [of available credit] every month.”About 10 percent of your credit score is calculated based on the types of credit you use (i.e., credit cards, mortgages, installment loans and retail accounts), according to MyFICO.com.

Another 10 percent is based on new credit accounts ” which can include credit lines established after your bankruptcy. Although the FHA program does not officially use credit scores to qualify a loan, individual lenders may. Some credit-repair and credit “doctor” companies make grandiose claims that they can clean the slate and repair your credit file, often for a substantial fee. Only time will cause those entries to drop off your credit reports.

Rapid Recovery Solution is a national collection agency.